A BAD WRECK ON D. L. & W. Railroad

Last
Thursday morning a collision occurred on the D. L. & W. road just south of
Messengerville between the 6:00 A. M. passenger train going north and a freight
train moving south. The passenger train was in charge of Conductor Kettle and
engineer John Keating, with fireman Frank Grannish. The freight train which was
a heavy one and was running 20 miles an hour, undertook to make the sidetrack just
south of Messengerville to let the passenger by on the main track, but the
rails were full of frost, the brakes failed to hold the train and it ran the
length of the sidetrack and out through the switch on the main track as the
passenger train appeared in view on rounding the curve only a few rods distant.

It was
too late to stop the train and Engineer Keating and his fireman jumped from the
engine, as did the engineer and fireman on the freight engine. The engines came
together with a tremendous crash telescoping the mail and express cars which
were thrown from the track down a six-foot embankment.

Engineer
Keating jumped into a barbed wire fence and his face and scalp were badly torn
and he was otherwise severely bruised. Mail agent T. F. Currie of Syracuse had
one hand smashed and was considerably bruised. The Express messenger Mr. F. B.
Denning, also of Syracuse, received several cuts and braises. Fireman Grannish received
several serious bruises but the engineer and fireman of the freight train were
uninjured.

A
telegram was sent to this place and a special train carrying Dr. A. J. White
and Rev. J. J. McLoghlin was at once sent to the scene
of the accident. The work of clearing up the track was commenced at once and
engineer Keating and fireman Grannish were sent to their homes in Syracuse, where
their injuries were dressed. Both will recover. Engineer Keating had had two
brothers killed in accidents on railroads. Like him they were engineers and
were killed while in the line of duty.

Inside of
three hours after the accident happened the track was clear and trains were
running as usual. The express car caught fire and burned up, but not until after
most of the valuable packages had been removed. The engines No. 10 and 18 are almost total wrecks. The passengers were
shook up somewhat but none of them imagined that a serious accident had taken place.

The Election Contest in Onondaga.

The Board
of County Canvassers in Onondaga county are having a serious time in canvassing
the election returns in that county. The returns as filed with the County Clerk
on their face elected Rufus T. Peck for Senator and Patrick J. Ryan, Democrat,
for Assembly. Mr. Peck, being fearful that he was not legally elected, applied
to Justice of the Supreme court, Geo. N. Kennedy, now holding a special term in
Syracuse for a mandamus requiring the Board of County canvassers to show cause
before Justice Kennedy forthwith, why they should not canvass the vote and
award the certificate of election to Mr. Peck.

The board
complied with the order and also canvassed the vote on Member of Assembly
giving the certificate of election to Mr. Ryan. The clerk of the Board of
Canvassers, who is also clerk of the county, signed the certificate of election
in Mr. Peck's case but refused to sign the certificate in Mr. Ryan's case, which
the law requires before it can be forwarded to the State Board of Canvassers. County
Clerk Cotton claims that he refused to sign the certificate by direction of
Judge Kennedy, under whose advice he has acted throughout. When Judge Kennedy
saw that his order had elected Mr. Ryan, he changed about and at once issued an
order directing the Board of County canvassers to send the returns back to the
Board of Inspectors and have them corrected in Ryan's case so as to elect his Republican
opponent, David A. Munro, Jr.

The Board
of County Canvassers have attempted to comply with the order but have been
unable as yet to fully do so for the reason that some of the returns were in
the custody of Supervisor Welch, who was out of town and did not return until Wednesday,
when he was arrested by Judge Kennedy's direction charged with disobeying his
order. Mr. Welch promptly gave bail for his appearance. Some of the inspectors
also refuse to change the returns and the complication is assuming a very mixed
appearance.

On Saturday
last Gov. Hill appointed an extraordinary term of the Supreme court in Syracuse
to open on Tuesday last and appointed Judge Morgan J. O'Brien of New York to
hold the same. The court was promptly opened by Judge O'Brien at the hour
appointed, and Hon. O. U. Kellogg of this place made an application for a writ
of mandamus requiring the Board of County Canvassers to re-canvass the votes
for Mr. Peck. The application was vigorously opposed by Messrs. Goodelle &
Notingham, attorneys for Peck. The papers are now in the hands of Judge O'Brien
awaiting his decision.

The
object of this application is to test the question of the legality of the 1252 ballots
cast for Mr. Peck in the towns of Clay, Camillus, Tully and Elbridge. The Republican
ballots in these towns were all transposed. The ballots endorsed "Third
District" were used in the first district, the ballots endorsed
"First District" were used in the second district and the ballots endorsed
"Second District" were used in the third district, thereby plainly
marking the Republican ballots in all the districts of the four towns and
destroying the secrecy of the ballot, which is the prime object of the new
ballot law.

Judge
Kennedy, who is a rank Republican, has shown a determination all through the proceedings
to bulldoze everybody and to elect both Peck and Munro at all hazards. Gov.
Hill was not long in discovering his intention, consequently he appointed an extraordinary
term and selected an honest Judge to hold it, who will see that all parties
have their rights.

The new ballot law was passed by a Republican Senate
and Assembly and they ought to favor a strict observance of its requirements.
If Republicans are allowed to mark their ballots so as to be able to tell how
the electors vote and distinguish their ballot from others, the object of the law
is frustrated and it is useless. The DEMOCRAT believes the law should be
sustained and executed strictly in accordance with its provision, no matter
which party is benefitted or injured thereby. If the law is unsatisfactory or
works an injury repeal it, otherwise enforce it to the letter.

Prof. D. M. Bristol's Wonderful Equines.

Next week
our readers will have an opportunity to see one of the greatest shows on the
road. It is not only the greatest in the way of novelty, but it is the largest hall
show ever transported from place to place. We allude to Prof. D. M. Bristol's Epues-Curriculum.
It consists of thirty humanely educated horses, twenty-five people, a full band
and orchestra, and it takes a whole train of cars to transport it. To make it
the most complete show of the kind ever organized, the management have invested
the sum of $60,000.

This mammoth
concert will be placed on the stage of the Cortland Opera House next Thursday evening
to continue three nights. The entire performance is given by the horses, who
do everything but talk. They are possessors of almost human intelligence, understanding
everything said to them and obeying commands without being made to by the use
of a whip or rein. All should see this interesting entertainment. All children
attending the matinee of these horses are given a free pony ride.

The
parade each day will be a decided novelty. Every member of the band rides a
white horse and Prof. Bristol drives without lines. The performances of the
trick mule Denver, is worth the price of admission. [Opera House manager] Mr.
Rood has prevailed on Mr. Bristol to make the price for all parts of the
parquet at the low figure of 50 cents. Price for balcony 25 and 35 cents.

Fire Bugs in Homer.

The
rascals who have been setting fire to buildings in Homer, for some weeks past, seem
determined to continue in their nefarious work notwithstanding the fact that extra
night police have been added to the force and every precaution taken by the authorities
to suppress the work. At about 11 o'clock last Monday evening as Mr. L. M.
Peters was returning home from Cortland, where he had been to attend Waite's theatre,
and just as he was crossing the Mill-st. bridge, he noticed a bright light in the
southeast part of Gere's tannery. Messrs. Gere and Bockes were awakened and the
three entered the building. The fire was started near the chimney and was partly
concealed by a large three-bushel basket which had been moved from its accustomed
place to that point. The floor boards were burned through for a space of two
feet square and the fire had run up the side of the chimney to the ceiling.
Three or four pails of liquor [sic] from one of the open vats were thrown on
the flames and the fire was put out.

The
boiler is located immediately under the fire in the basement and the incendiary
evidently intended that the fire would be supposed to have caught from the
boiler. The fire in the boiler was extinguished at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and
Mr. E. J. Bockes went through the building at 9:30 in the evening and found everything
as it should be.

There had been no fire in the room where the flames were
discovered in six months. The following morning fresh tracks were found in the
snow leading from Wall street along the river side to the south basement door of
the tannery and tracks of the same party were found leading back to Wall
street. There is no doubt but that the fire was deliberately
kindled and the citizens of Homer are greatly excited over the situation. It is
to be hoped that the officers will succeed in capturing the guilty party, who
seems bent on destroying valuable property.

Attempted Outrage.

Thursday
afternoon about 4 P. M. Mrs. Alice Sullivan, who resides at No. 5 Barber Ave,
in this village, sent her little girl, aged 6 years, to a neighbor's on an
errand. At about 5 o'clock, the girl not having returned, she started to look
for her. A neighbor informed her that the girl was seen going up Wheeler Avenue
a short time before with an old man.

Mrs.
Sullivan walked hurriedly up Wheeler Avenue and being attracted to a shed by
the cries of the child she found the door fastened. She broke the fastenings
and entered the building where she found Hiram Baker, aged about 60 years, attempting
to commit an outrage on the girl. Mrs. Sullivan at once commenced to pelt Baker
with stones and when she was through with him he was a sorry looking object.

Policeman
Jackson was summoned and arrested the old rascal and took him before Justice
Bull, who committed him to jail. His examination will take place this morning
at 9 A. M. If neighbors had not come to Baker's rescue it is believed the
services of a coroner would have been required instead of a justice.

Wheel Club members in front of Dexter House on Main Street.

Wheel Club Election.

The
annual election of the Cortland Wheel Club took place last Tuesday evening in
their rooms in the Democrat Building. The following officers were chosen for
the ensuing year:

President—Dr.
E. M. Santee.

Vice-President—F.
W. Collins.

Recording
Secretary—C. E. Thompson.

Financial
" —F. I. Graham

Corresponding
Secretary—C. G. Smith.

Treasurer—John
Dalton.

Captain—L.
C. Miller.

First
Lieut.—E. C. Alger.

Second
Lieut.—M. P. Crain.

Color
Bearers—E. B. Richardson and B. H. Dalton.

The Board
of Directors consists of the first six officers and Mr. E. S. Dalton was appointed
the seventh director. The leasing of the additional rooms on third floor was ratified
and the house committee was directed to procure the necessary furniture. A committee
of three was appointed to organize a series of card parties. Twenty-five new
members were added to the club.